Semiautomatic jig



1949. R. s. DE MARTINI 2,460,312

SEMIAUTOMATI C JIG Filed March 12, 1946 IE l INVENTOR.

RALPH 5: DE MAE TJZNI .A T TUENEY Patented Feb. 8, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE K923160312 t SEMI'IAUTOMATIC no Ralph S. De Martini, San Leandro, Calif. Application ldarchiu, 1946, Serial No, 653,919

5 Claims. (o1. 77-62) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

The present invention relates to machine tool fixtures.

Objects of the present invention are toprovide an improved machine tool fixture greatly facilitating the feeding of workpieces, the positioning of them for work thereon, and the expelling of the workpieces when the work thereon is completed; to provide a semi-automatic fixturefor accomplishing the above with a minimum 10f manual operation; to provide an improved construction and arrangement of elements ina device of the character described and for the purposes set forth; and to accomplish the aboveobjects in a facile, efficient, and economical manner.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the present invention, I have provided improved details of structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view showinga fixture embodying the features of the present invention. mounted on the work table of a drill presspand,

Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the fixture of Fig. 1 and taken along the line 2--2 of Fig.1.

Referring more in detail to the drawing:

A base I, is providedwith slotted outwardly ex tending elements 2 for securing the fixture to the work table 3, of a drill press or othermachine tool (not shown) by the bolts 6. Thebase, I, has an opening 5, substantially centrally disposed, through which workpieces such as the nut 6;, are expelled upon completion of the work thereon.

A positioning plate 7, is secured to the base i, 1

and has a lateral surface 8, which extends across the opening 5. Said lateral surface 8, is provided with a substantially semi-circular recess .9, generally aligned with the openingii, in the; base I. Adjacent the base I, and along the lower edge of said lateral surface 8, the plate I, is longitudinally recessed as indicated at it, to receive one leg of an L-shaped arm l l The arm I i may be formed of angle iron and is pivotally mounted by means of a pivot pin i la onithe base! on one 7 amended April 30, 1928; 370' 0. G. 757) A feed tube holder 14, is mounted onthe positioning plate I, by the screws l6, and has a-bifurcated end I 5, adapted to hold in a vertical position, the end of a feed tube H, which is clamped in said bifurcated end l5, by the action of screw 18. The feed tube l1 maybe bent to extend away from said tube holder M, at any desired'angle which will afiord the desired feed of the workpieces through the tube ll, by the force of gravity. Adjacent'the upper and outer end of the tube H, the upper wall of the tube cut away as at ill, to facilitate the insertion of workpieces into the tube I'I. l

A second plate 20, substantially semi-circular in shape, is mounted on the upper edge of the leg [3, of thearm I I, and extends parallel to the base l, andin a direction away from the plate-'L-The plate 20, is adapted to cover the lower end;of; the feed tube IT, at all times except when the arm ll, is-pivoted'away from the'plate L'to a posia tion'in which the leg-l2 of the arm ll,is disposed below the lower end of the tube IT, at which time a workpiece drops onto saidleg l2 of the arm ll. 'Iifl.

An air valve 2| having a horizontally extending control plunger 22 and means (not shown) urging said plunger 22 to its extended or closed position, is mounted on the work table 3 forxactuation to its closed position by a cam plate 23, secured to the free end of the arm ll. Adjacent said free end the arm I! is "formed toprovide' a handle 24, for manually pivoting said arm (and actuating said valve 2|. Air pressure is supplied to the valve 2| through a hose25 from a source (not shown),and from valve 2|, the air pressure is supplied through-a hose 26, to a bore 21, in the base l. A metal tube28'has one end connected to the other'end of the bore 21 and the other end of the tube 28 is directed at the position in which the workpiece is held while work is being done upon it. By this construction the air pressure causes a stream of air to be directed against the workpiece as the arm is pivoted away from the plate I, and the workpiece is blown off the leg l2 orthe arm ll, uponwhichit is supported, and falls through the opening 5 in the base l,

' which may be aligned with an opening in the work table 3.- Regarded from another viewpoint, perhaps more logically, the air pressure holds the workpiece-fixed in position relative to the base by urging it against the recess 9 in the plate I whilethe arm ll is retracted from the plate I and hence from the workpiece. Thereafter, being no longer supported byr the leg I: of the-arm 1-; m a machine-tool; 7 scribed, the c6mmnation oia-hase;a gravity on 7 ea-rated feeditube'anapted support a plnralityof 3 i I, the workpiece is free ing 5 in the base I.

V 'Operatioh The operation'of a machine tool fixture con- 7 structed as shown and described is as follows:

;Workpi ee'es "asthe nutifig are insertedi-n the feed tu'be ll through the cutawayportion at l9 in' the upper end of thefeed'tube ll, and are .moved toward the base I by the force of gravitigdf to fall through the openand are restrained within 'saidtube by the plate.

20, mounted on'the arm ll, when said arm H; is

' in the position shown in the drawing. ,Ihe arm I i:-

is then manually pivoted away irjomthe plate I,

#105} means of the handle 24, toa position inwhich-a 5 "workpiece drops from the feed tube ll, ontdthe 7 leg; l2, of the arm II, as described above. The

arm II is then pivoted to apositionin vmiehlit'- -i.

U charge opening, a feed tube adapted to support 7K? a plurality of workpieces and feed said workpieces tosaid-base, means for receiving a workpiece from said tube and positioning said workpiece for parallels thelateral surface 8; o'f the positioning plate 1, and holds the workpiece in the semi-cirk :cuiarrecess 9; the workv thereon: isicom :pieted. As the arm this pivoted .towm'dthereed v til-he' l]; agaimthe cam-plate 23 depresses the plunger' zl, causing valve 21, to open-and; the

workpieceis biownaagainstthe plate i=,1 whiie the arm I l is retracted from thepiate t; and theree after drops from the fixture under theaetionef gravity asgdescribedabove As thecam: plate- 23, is drawn clear of the plunger- 22ythe riiunger is permitted te retnmr'torits'extended ciosed position andthe-air isshut 0R. 7 r

my invention; it is apparent-'tfiaat' the device-"is susceptible to modification without 7 departing from thespiritoiinvention; 1: denotvwish,

therefore; to be limihadiby-the" disclosures 1 set forth, but only by the scope-oii -the appendedclaims:

' The invention described: herein: may bemanufae'tured and u'sed by on for the Government .i

- thereon or therefor;

"I claim: "1

fixture. of the elaserie-- wm'kpieces andieed" said workpieces to saidr-base, aplateseenred to; saidfbase'; anarm pivoted to -While Ihavebhown butloneembodimentof I tioned 'elements to assist in expellihgsaid workplate"r 'Whereby'said workpiece may dropunder,

thereon-i at a work station above said discharge opening. and pneumatic means cooperable iwitlrsaic'lfirst mentioned means for expelling said workpiece from said fixture when the work thereon is completed byretaining said work pieeeat said 'work station while said first mentienedmeans is 'retracted from said workpiece, whereby said workpiece may drop through said discharge opening;

' 4. In a machine tool fixture of the class describedthetcombination of a base having a discharge'opening. therein for workpieces, a. feed tubeadaptedtosnpport a pluralityiof workpieces amffeed said workpieces tosaid base, a p1ate seem-edxtowid base;-anarm.pivota1ly mounted on said: base andadapted: to receive 'a workpiece from said tube and. position. said workpiece against said'plateirra positiomvertically above. said dis chargeopening for-:work; on said'w'orkpiece, and

pneumaticmeans =cooperablewith said-aforemenpieee fromsaidfixture when'the work completed thereon by urging said workpiece against said plate whiiesaidarm is retracted from said the 'actionof gravity through said discharge openingcafter retractionof said arm.

a 5. In a machine tool fixture of the class-described, tiie'combination'of abase having a discharge opening therein, feed. means for supporting a plurality of"workpieces and feedin said said feed means for-receiving a. workpiece from said feed means and. movable away from said feed means tor-positioning saidxwozzkpiece for work thereon atJ-a Work station above said disagainst'said -piateforworkt-hereen, a second 'piatemoimtedwmsaid arm and disposed-in ofie set relaitionzto saidtube when said am is in the charge opening; pneumatic mean-s. ccoperable aforementioned means for expelling saidworkpieces from said. fixture when the work thereon' is'completed bylretaining sai'd' workpiece at-saidwork" station While said 'rece'iving means isiwithiirawnstherefrom, whereby said workpiece isii'ee to drop through said dis'chargeopening,

- and mmns actuated'by saidreceiving means upon to -close the lower endwi said tube -when sa'id armis moved from said position'andtomard first mentioned plate, and: pneumaticrmeans eoj operable: with said "aforemenhhned. elementsior expelling said.workpieces fromsaid fixture when the work thereonis. completed; said pneumatic means includingava'lve adapted for. operation by said arm, said valve being. CIOSEdL'WhGIi said arm .is; against said first mentioned' plate; and f said valve being open during the firstpart of the motion of said arm away said Nate; 7

p 2; In a machine tool fixturegofthe olass described; the; combination of aba'se; a-' feed tube adapted to support aplurality of -.1 and feed said workpieces-to said base, :a plate secured to saidbase, .anarmpiirmaliye mmmted 1. onsaid base and adaptedto 'reoeive ja worki iece V from ;said tube and" position. said wmkpieee against said platefor work the initial movementthereofi" toward. said feed -m ns i0? controlling" the energization of said pneumatic means.

R LP s. DE MARTINI.

REFERENCES? CITED 'Dh'e .followingrref erences are of'recorcl in the fire of this? patent:

V UNITED. STATES PATENTS Number 

